Feds OK $55M for Alabama tornado recovery

Feds give go-ahead for $55 million to help with tornado recovery in Alabama

Published: Tuesday, September 11, 2012, 12:15 PM     Updated: Tuesday, September 11, 2012, 2:47 PM

By Robin DeMonia — The Birmingham News

U.S. Rep. Spencer Bachus (The Birmingham News / Beverly Taylor)

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama — More than $55 million in federal community development money will be available to help Alabama communities rebuild from a string of tornadoes that hit the state on April 27, 2011.

U.S. Rep. Spencer Bachus, R-Vestavia Hills, said earlier this year that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development intended to furnish the aid. Today, his office announced HUD had approved the disaster recovery plans submitted from the state, a step necessary for the money to be released.

Bachus’ office said the money will “help speed up the restoration of housing and infrastructure and promote economic revitalization.”

“It’s time to put this disaster recovery funding to work in our communities and state. Alabama has already come a long way back from the devastating tornadoes of April 27, 2011, but much remains to be done,” Bachus said in the statement. “It’s my hope this will enable our many severely impacted communities in Alabama to achieve a successful recovery.”

HUD community development block grants will total about $7.8 million for Jefferson County, $6.4 million for Birmingham, $16.6 million for Tuscaloosa County and $24.7 million for the state of Alabama to use in affected jurisdictions elsewhere. The money will be spent according to the disaster recovery plans each submitted.

Bachus is chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, which oversees HUD’s programs. HUD received $400 million from Congress to provide community development grants to communities and states impacted by natural disasters in 2011.

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